Sorry, this post was posted in this account by mistake. I have reposted in the correct account, in the correct order, for sake of continuity, should a reader be reading the story. My apologies for any inconvenience. Alex/Arthur.
I was lucky. She fell asleep in my arms and while I enjoyed the soft warmth of her against me it was mostly the happy emoting in her sleep that made it heavenly.
5171
We all worked hard during the next days, but still we noticed that Robbie was troubled by something. He finally asked Cherine.
“We have just over sixty thousand Normals with us. Why don’t you link them so that they can help us?”
“No. I don’t want to.” All of us froze, forgetting whatever we were busy doing as we waited for her to explain.
“We took a chance on so many love, why not this lot?”
“We did not take a chance Robert, as of it being in the past tense. We are still in danger from them. We are bound to find a few of them are not suitable to be Cherinians. What if that happens? You tell everyone we will stop them being Cherinians if they do not measure up. How?”
“I’ll block them and you’ll cut the link.”
“Nonsense! How can you block anyone who refuses you permission to enter their mind? Would you force your way?”
He frowned, biting back his impulsive reply. “I could, but I would not. We have to stand by our own rules. What then love? Surely you can cut their links?”
“Soon, if the time has not already come, they will not need me to link them.”
I had to butt in. “Cher is right dad. With so many Cherinians around they will be able to latch on to others. The way we are going, it will soon only be a matter of prestige for Cherinians to be able to say they are linked to Cherine. You have been bluffing them, but it will soon be common knowledge that you cannot take away their gifts - unless you set a Sparkler on them. I doubt they will wish to do so, even should you ask. The person would have to be badly misusing their gifts for us to take action. What about all those who are selfish in the ways of Normals who are not criminals? You cannot take extreme actions against them.”
“Can’t we make them cocoon Cherinians?” Kleanthi asked.
“What are cocoon Cherinians? They are people whose minds have been opened to certain gifts of Cherine. Basically empathy, healers and the ability to jump. Their minds are blocked to the rest of our gifts. For a short period it works. Let me give you an example. Dad, block my mind to all the other gifts.”
“Are you certain?”
When he did so I knew all would be trying to secretly sense me. “You are welcome to enter my mind to watch. I will start taking back my gifts now.”
Within minutes I had all my gifts back. Robbie stared at me with a pale face while Cherine, who had all along suspected the danger existed, was shattered.
“For you to succeed Robert, you would have to block my healer. Would you do that to anyone?”
“My god! Of course, you used your healer to unblock yourself!”
When Alexis spoke, her mind having gone off at a tangent, I felt the chill of fear in everyone. “After the chat we had with Arthur, a thought came to me. What if all our gifts come from him? Even the magic of Jesus. What will happen if he dies before we find him?”
Fear is the most wonderful weapon of all. No need to go out and risk your life to kill your enemy. Fill him with fear and the battle is won. They planted scenarios for their fear to feed on; Freddie would stop existing; poof goes Vincent; we get stuck in whichever reality we are in, subject to all the ills of mankind; bang goes all the Cherinian empathy and all the other gifts; civilisations collapse because of our intervention and so on and on.
Cherine was the first to realise I was not afraid and was watching them with curiosity. Before she could speak I had to have some fun, so I threw in my contribution, since nobody else had thought of it.
5172
“Will we all revert to our true age?” Cherine was a spoilsport and stopped them imagining a plethora of new disasters. By now Robbie had clicked and was also about to ask me a question, so I turned to Cher and asked her sweetly, “You wanted to ask me something?”
“Why are you not worried? Is it because of Le’sase?”
“No. If we are just a story written by Arthur, my coming from the future would only be relevant for as long as the story is alive - or being kept alive by him.”
“Then why?”
“Because he has assumed.”
“Assumed!!” Robbie was shocked. “Assumed?”
“Yes.”
Jodine started off, “But, as Alexis said…”
I cut her off. “Alexis did not say anything. She only asked a question. It is not her fault you are all treating her question as a fact!”
Gilli was about to speak, but Annavi got in first. “How can you depend on an assumption!?”
“I’ll tell you, all of you, I’d rather trust anything he assumes than a fact.”
That got them going again, but I noticed Robbie, Cherine, Dommi, Aganthi, Tina, Rosie, Empathia and Haven kept quiet, keeping their eyes on me and I felt some of them trying to ‘read’ my thoughts. I grinned at them and they blushed, knowing I’d caught them at it.
I grabbed Diana’s hand. “Tell me, how were you created?”
“You know…”
“By us? Don’t you see, you were not! Not just by us. Arthur assumed it was possible, maybe he wanted you here so he assumed you could be created.” I pointed at the sky. “All those galaxies, all the realities and species, how is it they exist? Is it not because Arthur assumed them and us? If he could assume everything, even the void and the plane I’m so afraid of and what I become there, how can we say we do not trust his assuming we will remain Cherinians? What is the purpose of everything he created? Was it not so that Cherinians could exist?”
Meli shook me. “Maybe we’re the actors on his stage and when his play is over the stage will be left empty.”
Gilli answered her and I hugged her, my heart bursting with love. “No, just like you would not allow my people to stop existing because you love us, he also loves us.”
They had been too afraid for a brief time to suddenly change, so I left them to argue their way back to common sense. I jumped to what is France in our world, a couple of kilometres away from a Nean village and walked slowly so that reports of my presence arrive there before I do. My mind was on what had just been said, something nagging, just out of focus. I tried to force the thought to reveal itself, but the more I tried the further it receded. I gave up as I walked into a wooded area, I had to be alert for surprise attacks.
Suddenly the thought that had been hiding popped up, fully formed, and I collapsed to my knees. Within seconds Robbie and the girls were with me. Robbie took me in his arms as I sobbed.
“We better go back to Freddie.” He jumped us home.
They did not need to ask, I blurted it out. “Dad, we must get every Jesus and Allan and Robert and Cherine. Even Alexander, if he will help.”
He tried calming me. “We’ll get them all girlie, just tell us what affected you so strongly.”
I stared into his eyes and then at Cherine. “I know how to bring Arthur here.”
5173
It was as if I’d let off a bomb! I felt my father and all my loves staring at me as if I’d popped up out of some amazing science fiction story, a creature with amazing abilities. I’m sorry, that is a stupid exaggeration. They were shocked though and filled with amazement that I could have solved such an impossible problem. They did not doubt I had, not for one second.
“We have to do what he is doing. We have to assume he will come, that he will be here by a certain time. It is our turn now, he has done so much for us by assuming, now we must use the same power he does and assume for him. If we have everyone here with us and we assume strongly enough, he will be here. It is that easy.”
Robbie’s face fell and he tried to hide his disappointment. I pulled at his shirt, pleading with him to explain.
“My love, what you ask is impossible. Do you know what the word ‘assume’ means? A dictionary definition would be ‘Assume: Take to be the case or to be true; accept without verification or proof’. How can we gather all the most powerful minds and demand that they assume? It is a matter of faith, you cannot impose it with logic.”
“I know what it means. All we have to do is believe!”
“Sometimes, even when we want to with all our heart, we cannot Sam - even Arthur has the same limitations crippling him. Maybe it is enough if you do?”
I shook my head. “I am only one tiny mote of his soul, more of us must believe.”
“You said he will make all of us out of his soul. How can we assume he is us and that he will also be with us?” Rosie asked.
“We have to assume he kept a part of him, that which makes him the person he is, apart, waiting for us to call him. He could not be aware for billions of years while waiting. We have to wake him by assuming he is here with us and he will be.”
Claudia said, “If by believing and assuming, things could be made true, then our world would be full of gods.”
“Maybe it is Claudia. Maybe it was, but they stopped existing when people stopped caring about them.”
Arthur, I’m out on my own this time. Please tell me I am right.
I’m going to make it happen!
5174
Orgg walked into his village with Jeskine at his side. She was turning her head, looking at the mountains she knows so well, missing the sight of forests of fir trees planted on them, roads and military installations at their peaks. She could see the rising where the Parthenon should be and it impressed her how the ruins had made something so small and ugly become not only beautiful, but also a place sacred to all.
“Do you think the goddess Athena is waiting for her temple?”
“What?” He looked around. “No, I don’t think so.” Before her disappointment at his reply could be felt, he added. “I think she is walking by my side.”
“You are certain your people will accept me?”
“I’ll probably have to fight the males to keep you.”
“I know you said I must not help you, but do you promise you will not let them hurt you?”
A normal Nean would not have been patient with her, he would have been furious that she presumed the right to interfere in male matters, but Orgg was patient and only emoted love.
“I must fight as a Nean if I am to win the right to belong to my people again. I fought against them, siding with the Sap traders, they will not forgive that easily. Even without our powers I am stronger than any of them because of my healer, do not worry.”
Orgg expected to be challenged and it did not worry him. He had been gone for a long time, lived among Saps, Cherinian and Normals, for too many years and was not thinking as a Nean, only as he thought a Nean would. They were seen long before approaching the village and ignored by males and females. He changed his mind and did not head for his family’s hut and went straight to the central area where they would be forced to deal with him.
They stood for ten minutes without anyone accosting them, when Jeskine asked him, “Why are they ignoring us?” She could feel he is despondent and could not understand why.
“I have been declared dead. To them I am only a ghost and none would dare show they see or hear us.”
She had not been taught of their customs and still did not understand. Gently he explained while his eyes searched the faces around him, hoping to catch even one pair of eyes on him.
“Do the Neanderthals of Cherine’s world have the same custom?”
“Cherine’s?” They both smiled at his surprise. Orgg tends to think of our world as being Robert’s.
Suddenly Orgg turned around with an expression of pain on his face, presenting his back to someone entering the clearing. It was his little sister. Jeskine reached out to her and sensed her. She was breathing heavily, having run most of the way when she heard Orgg’s ghost had returned. She did not dare stare at him openly, but she was taking secret glimpses of him. She stared at Jeskine for a moment, her mind filled with curiosity as to why her brother had chosen her as his mate.
Softly she said to him, “Your sister still cares about you.”
“I was a second father to her. She must not risk her life by looking at me. We better leave.”
“Am I a ghost also?”
“No.”
“Why are they ignoring me then?”
“You came as you are. A male might look at you if he wishes to use you, otherwise you are an animal to them.”
“If one of them tries and you knock him down, what would he do?”
“I think that is why none have tried.”
5175
Jeskine tried a bit of cheeky Cherine humour, want to shock him out of his mood. “What if we made love here, would they still pretend they can’t see you?”
“I have to find a way to force them to see me so that I exist again. Then I must convince them you are not an animal. If we did that, I would not be able to.”
She giggled at his earnest reply, “I did not intend to. So, how will you force them to see you?”
“If the leader is forced to fight me and he loses, they might have to. The medicine woman would have to speak to me first and she might refuse to, even then.”
“What if she speaks to you without a fight first?”
“They will all be free to attack me if she refuses me.”
“We better convince her then. Show me who she is.”
“She is not here.”
“Then take me to her.” He shook his head, amazed by her courage.
“She will not speak to me.”
“Leave that to me.”
The hut of the medicine woman was not close to others and Jeskine was surprised to see that she has a garden of herbs. They had never seen that among the other Neans. She felt hopeful, convinced this woman must be more intelligent. She was sitting outside by a fire with a black pot on it. She openly looked at the couple as they came to her. Orgg waited a small distance while Jeskine walked closer, staring into her eyes for a moment. She was sad to see how old the medicine woman is and she could feel how arthritis has crippled her with pain. Perhaps that explained the herb garden, she probably could not walk far anymore.
She used all the Nean terms of respect when she spoke to her, kneeling first on the ground so that she would not be looking down at her.
“Mother, you see I am an animal. My father’s father was of the people and I ask you, for his sake, to allow me to speak with you.”
“You are a child, what can you say to me?”
“You see that I have a ghost with me. He is a wise ghost mother, he saw his people were dying, so he left with the animals who come to trade, to search for a way to save his people.”
“We do not speak of ghosts. Leave.”
“Mother, I am a medicine woman such as you, among others. If I show you I have ways of healing stronger than yours, will you listen to what I have to say?”
The eyes had dulled with age and she probably could not see well, but the way she looked at Jeskine made her feel her gaze sharply. “Your healing must be simple for someone so young and an animal.”
“May I touch your hand?”
“You heal me?”
“I will.”
It took her healer only a few minutes to take care of the inflammation and for the pain to recede. Jeskine waited until her healer told her the cartilage has been repaired. She sat back, staring into the fire, waiting for the woman to speak.
She did not exclaim when she felt the changes within herself, not even when her eyes cleared and she could see as she did when she was young. She gestured for Jeskine to sit on a rock opposite her. Jeskine felt Orgg’s elation at this sign of her being accepted as equal, but she was careful to keep her face calm and unemotional.
5176
“An animal who can heal and who speaks the truth, the world is changing.”
“That is why the people are dying mother. May I speak of it and what we must do to save them?”
“The people do not die. We have no battles, no illness.”
“Children are not being born. Is not the village smaller than it was when you were a child?”
“I warned them that the evil water the traders bring will harm them. The traders no longer come here so we will grow again.”
“No mother, they will not. How many are still young enough to have children? May I tell you a story that is for healers only?” Jeskine used much of what we had learnt, building it into a story the old woman would understand.
“The Earth, she is mother to us all. She made the people and for a long time she was happy to see them live their lives wisely. Like all mothers, the time came when she wanted new children. She did not want them to be the same as the people. She used what is the best of the people and made some changes so that they are different. They are not as strong and cannot bear pain like the people can. Their bodies are smaller and their bones are weaker. She had to give them something where they would be stronger. She made them able to speak words the people cannot and they can think of things the people cannot.
Our mother Earth made a big mistake. In her eagerness to have new children she made mountains explode with fire. You have heard of that? The fires made clouds that covered the land and in those clouds was medicine for creating the new people. Her mistake was that she did not remember that the medicine for creating the new children would kill her first children.
Our mother has been sorrowing for a long time, wanting to find a way to help her first children. She found a way that was born out of hate and pain so that love would come out of it. (They do not have the word for love so she said ‘good feelings’). One of the males of the people found a female of the new people and forced himself on her like she was an animal. A son was born. He was strong, so the new people could not kill him as they do with such children. I know, they are not like the people and do not accept such children
The man took a female of the new people by force, as if she were an animal and she had a child. She died when she gave birth and the man took the child with him into the mountains where bad new people live. When the child was still very young the man died.
I am that child. Mother, I grew up being called an animal. They fed me scraps of food as we would feed an animal. I have the blood of the people in me and I was strong, I lived. Are not all children the same mother, they live in a world that is not the same the big ones know? I did. I did not have others to speak to so I spoke to myself. I had visions of a world where I would be wanted as daughter and mate someday with someone who would not take me as my mother was, by force.”
Jeskine tapped her head. “I found things inside here that have never been in any other head. I found ways to make me stronger so that I have good feelings for all, even those who want to hurt me. I became a healer for all, for the old and the new people.
The ghost you do not wish to speak of felt me calling to him. He did not know why, but he came. We are now one. The Earth mother made him just for me so that he is stronger than any male and has made him want to protect all the people. Together we are able to take the bad medicine out of the people so that they can have children again. We can also make you young again. I have not done so, for first your people must hear you speak as their powerful medicine woman. They would not listen if you come to them as a young girl.”
The old woman shook her head. She picked up a herb. “What is this for?”
“I do not know. Let me touch it so that my power tells me.” She took some in her hand and then bit a stalk. “It cleans wounds so that there is no pus.”
Jeskine saw the old woman could not believe. What she had told her was too strange for her to understand. She had one more idea.
5177
“You wish to see I speak the truth? Bring me an old one, nearly dead if you wish and watch as I make him or her young again. If I cannot, then call me an animal. If I can, then call me your sister and speak to my ghost.”
Even among the Neans, especially now that they did not bear children easily, the females live longer. An old female was carried to the hut. Those who carried her waited, curious. Jeskine ignored them and touched the old wasted body.
Her healer knew she did not have a lot of time, so it first took care of cosmetic changes, hair growing where she was bald, turning dark where it was grey. Wrinkles smoothed out and within two hours the sleeping body of a young female lay before them. Now it handled the inner problems, rejuvenating her so that she would be young in all ways. She will also be able to give birth to healthy children.
By now the whole village had gathered and they sort of freaked out, only the old medicine woman controlling them with her sharp voice. When the now young woman opened her eyes and sat up, exclaiming at the changes in her, the medicine woman talked to her, asking questions about how her health is. She dismissed her and told the villagers to leave.
She ordered Orgg to sit by her and she spoke with him for hours, getting him to explain what Jeskine had told her in ways she could understand. They slept outside her hut that night and when she came out in the morning they could sense she had accepted what they’d told her.
“There is one more way to prove your truth.”
Orgg grinned at her. “I must not die?”
“They will kill you.”
He picked up an ember from the remains of her fire and held his hand out to her for her to see. She studied his hand long enough to be convinced it is not burning him. “They cannot kill me. She spoke the truth, I am stronger than a rock.”
“It is not enough. What else?”
With the help of Jeskine he sent her the love he felt for his girl and the old woman bowed her head as he asked her, “That is the power our Earth mother is using for us to save our people. Is it enough?”
As was expected, Orgg had to fight three Neans before the village would listen to them. Jeskine ordered her healer to rejuvenate the medicine woman back to her middle age. She had to be younger, but old enough to still command respect. When she gave us the go ahead, we sent our healers and the whole village was healed and rejuvenated. The next day it was easier to get them to listen since they now treated the couple with the respect due to powerful medicine women. Jeskine would not link them until she sensed they understood, which meant she first had to wait for new pathways to grow in their now larger brains. She did not say anything, but she is determined the sister of Orgg will be the first Nean she links.
Robbie had created a ‘screen’ for everyone to watch Orgg and Jeskine and by courtesy of Claudia their speech translated so that all could understand. At first most came to watch and exclaim over the screen itself (as had happened with me on Efineh’s world), but soon were caught up in the drama of the events. When Orgg beat off all three of his attackers, without causing them real harm, they cheered for him as if he were their champion. Some were upset by Jeskine’s assertion that Saps are not as tolerant of half-breeds, but in the end they had to admit she’d spoken the truth.
There are foolish people on this world, as there are on any world, especially when dealing with matters that affect their pride, so it was funny for us to hear them boast that Jeskine had first healed Saps because they are ‘her’ people.
“Now you can go to your French Neans Sam.”
“I wasn’t going to heal them! I just wanted to see how tolerant they would be of us. I need to understand them better.”
“Why?” Ashia asked. “Whatever you learn will soon not be valid.”
5178
“All the more reason. It is as if the species they are now is disappearing, to be taken over by a newer model. They will not want us to know how they thought now - if they can understand themselves as they are now, then.”
“In that case you better get going, they won’t be as they are now for long.”
I went to visit for one day and stayed three. It was fascinating for me, almost like seeing what primitive man was like. Strange to think we once were like them.
It will just make your book boring Arthur. Most people won’t want to read pages of me learning about how Neans think. I’ll share with you once you are here.
Do you remember that program where money was being collected to help the Neans? It was decided we would not buy anything until we know what they will need. If they have food machines from us, they basically do not wear clothes, will not need medicines, what do we get them? Toilet paper? Some of us suggested toys for the kids. What kind of toys? Little Barbie dolls? Play guns? There is a factory making doll Neans and baby Neans, but there is little point in carrying tons of them here before finding out whether little Neans will want them. In the meantime, they are a great hit on our world, every little girl and boy wanting one at least.
I can hear many suggesting books. Science books? The Bible or Quran? Children’s books? Again, we first have to see what it is they will want. Anyway, with most books now only available in electronic format, we are limited in our options.
Now that we are seeing the Neans directly, instead of through the Sparklers, we are discovering differences among them. For instance, those who live up in the Alps have more hair and it is greasier. This prompted Diana and Claudia to ask we check for Neans in the Himalayas - they are hoping it will prove the Yeti are descended from Neanderthals.
Mintus has been linked by Jeskine and he now often takes on the form of a Nean and goes with them. It has changed him a lot, but one thing has only changed for the better. He is even more supportive of Orgg and now thinks of him as his best friend. He is slightly awed by Jeskine, but she teases him so he’ll get over it. Jeskine knows Cherine said he is their Alki and asked Cherine (jokingly) whether she should call him pappou.
I have been wondering whether it will be harder or easier for Jeskine to convert the Neans to Cherinians than it will be for me to convert all the humans of Efineh’s world. I doubt Sebura will. He’ll probably have to die, be reborn and only then be a Cherinian. I’m not taking any chances on that world. (R: I can’t believe Sam said that!). (Sam: I wasn’t talking about killing him! I’ll let him grow old and die, that’s all I meant - dad knew that, I think he just wanted to force me to explain.)
King Pwembwe has left, returning to his country. He asked that we visit him there. Robbie offered to take them home, but the king asked he be allowed to travel back in the usual way as he needs time to think. He has told Jeskine and Orgg that they are welcome whenever they wish to visit and he hopes they will also help his people become Cherinians. One good result of his spending so much time in Freddie is the way he now treats his wives. They seem happier, but they nag a lot more than they’d dared to before. We hope it is only a phase and they’ll change to become real Cherinian wives.
“I am amazed at the rate you have been linking my people Jeskine. Soon there will be more Cherinians in our city than in Cherine’s world.”
“Our people are more gentle than hers.” Cherine smiled at her without commenting.
“Now that most of your people are Cherinians and can protect themselves, would you mind us bringing the Akiard kids? Christós believes that meeting new people is good for them. I know they are keen to meet some Neans.”
“That must not happen yet Robert.”
“Only when you say so Jes.”
5179
“Don’t call her Jes! She is Jeskine.” Candy scolded and Robbie laughed, promising.
“When are some Wirms going to visit us?” Meesartus asked.
“They find it difficult to tell the difference between Saps and Neans. They should also not visit people of other countries who do not know of us yet. Asking them to stay here, in your city, is not going to work, they get carried away and will soon be wishing themselves all over your world.”
We first brought Akiar and Simdi. Iziko walked through town with them and they stared with big eyes at the noisy crowds. Christós walked behind them, monitoring their feelings. When he saw us he smiled, sharing with us his pleasure.
“I have never felt a city like this one! They could become a model world for all Cherinians.”
“The Unation physicians estimate, on average, their aggression while still Normals is about four percent lower than those of our world. It is amazing what a difference such a small percentage can make. They are slow to anger and quick to forget slights if you apologise. Come, you should try the imps cake shop.”
Iziko took the kids to see a crocodile farm. They were shown the razor sharp teeth of one and then they watched as it fed. They soon understood the power of those jaws and were impressed when a man walked barefoot among them checking for wounds and fungus. The crocs do not have much space to move in and can become short-tempered.
Iziko and the kids came to the cake shop. “It does not make sense to farm crocodiles! The flesh they get from them is not close to the amount of food they are fed. Why don’t they use the fish and meat for people instead?”
“Crocodile meat is sold cheaply because it is not popular and is not the main reason we keep them. Our artisans use the skin, teeth and feet for other purposes which bring us wealth from other countries. We were told they tried to establish crocodile farms up river in Izenti but it was not a success.”
“When are the girls handing over the shop to your wife?” Robbie asked, hoping to prompt them into doing so.
“We can’t give her this shop yet! She first has to open a shop in Sisama.”
“How will she run it from here?”
Mintus explained. “Pironal will stay there for a few months to train people to run the shop for her. We are going there when Jeskine and Orgg decide to visit them to link those who are suitable.” He grimaced. “She does not like jumping, but once she is used to it, she will not have a problem running both.”
Robbie laughed. “Are you planning on becoming wealthy like our Alki?”
Mintus gave the imps a wink. “I will never be wealthy, my wife will. I am just a poor adventurer who enjoys travelling with his friends all over the world.”
While we sat talking, enjoying the pleasantries that we so rarely seem to indulge in recently, the two boys stood outside, since they could not eat any of the pastries in the shop. They were enjoying being under a real sun and the air converters prevented any smells they might have found alien or unpleasant from irritating them. They were standing near the corner talking to each other when a group of children ran around the corner. One of them, a boy of twelve, ran straight into Akiar.
Iziko was keeping a paternal eye on them mentally and he jumped up to run to them, but we all heard Akiar scream for Christós. He was standing over the bigger boy, his body language telling us he thought he was protecting him from the people who wanted to help the wounded Terran boy. He knows that if one of us is pierced by any part of his exoskeleton it could be fatal because of chemicals that are poisonous to us. Just as we sweat and have a film of oil over our skin, so do they exude a protective layer that prevents them from chapping.
5180
He moved back for Christós and only then allowed Iziko to draw him to him. He did not try to make excuses or blame the other boy for running into him and stood staring at Christós, waiting for his reassurance the boy is healed. When the boy was allowed to leave and Christós turned away from him, Akiar asked Iziko to return him to Freddie. Robbie put his hand on him, stopping them.
“Akiar, I saw what happened and I think you are a very brave boy. I am pleased with the way you tried to protect him and called for help. I’m proud of you.” He hesitated a moment. “Would you do me a favour?”
He swelled with self-importance and recklessly answered he would.
“Can you stay a while and walk with me?”
“Can Simdi come with?”
“Of course.” The three of them walked off and we sensed Robbie trying to joke with them in between pointing out little things people were doing that touched him and those that worried him, making them feel very important by his confiding in them. Christós wanted to return to Freddie to be with the other Akiards, but we convinced him to sit with us awhile.
That night it was Em-e who was singled out as his main lover. She asked him to close his eyes for a moment. We burst out laughing and Robbie opened his eyes to see her projecting as an Akiard.
“If you shoot me with your dart you are in serious trouble.” He pretended to sternly warn her. Em-e knows when the time for jokes is past and quickly reverted to herself and looked at him with eyes filled with laughter. Her trick worked and Robbie was extra special in his loving of her.
We have now been here for two months. The Nean project is proving more successful than we’d expected. Tomorrow is going to be a very special day. Orgg’s sister is to be linked. Unfortunately her mate will not, he is a difficult character and stubbornly refuses anything that is new.
We all wanted to be present, even if only as souls carried by Robbie. When Orgg had waited for his sister to become a female so that she would have a mate, his action had been something unheard of for the Neans. When the male is ready to support himself he leaves home. Orgg showed unusual sensitivity in worrying about how his elderly parents could support themselves and a child. Many of his generation and older males blatantly made fun of him, so his sister Kaghisa was aware of his sacrifice and she grew to love him. She had been proud that she is considered a female, but had been saddened by his abrupt departure. That he had done so by protecting animals and travelling with them had hurt her. Orgg had also grown to care for her, even though Neans hardly ever care strongly (emotionally) for their females. For such a special relationship we just had to be there.
Jeskine knew how special this moment was for Orgg and she strained to sense every nuance of feeling in him. She linked Kaghisa and as brother and sister felt for the first time the love in the other for themselves, Jeskine got caught up in the beauty of the moment and did as Cherine does, escalating their feelings as she sent it back and forth, doubled again and again. Her own love for Org trespassed, aching to be part of what she could feel in both of them and suddenly they felt something unfamiliar, a feeling they recognised as binding them to each other. They have created a family circle and it has pulled in Kaghisa.
It was amazing the way Kaghisa accepted it without worries about the ethics of it and, turning her back on her mate, gave herself to this new relationship. Both Jeskine and Orgg had shared with us too often for them not to recognise and accept with joy what has occurred. They brought her back to their home in Afhani. We rushed back to their house and Robbie materialised.
“Congratulations and welcome Kaghisa. Jeskine, all my family wish for the three of you to join us in the void, please come.”
A thrill of excitement ran through us. “Robert, please wait for everyone to come, this is so special.” I jumped to Freddie and let everyone know what is about to happen. Even Freddie agreed to bring a part of himself with me to share this moment - even though he can monitor the void when there, it is not the same. I felt sorry for those who had to stay with their Akiard kids.
Most of the girls dashed all over the city to ask the people to come to the void. It is a strange thing, there have been many occasions of three or more in a family who’ve been linked, but none of them have been drawn into a Cherinian family. We had been waiting for it to happen, but had not said anything.
I hope you enjoy reading this story of fantasy, adventure and love - and should some of it be true for our reality, I hope you will love our Cherine.
Αλέξανδρος Ζήνον Ευσταθίου
(Alexander Zenon Eustace)1st February, 2020
- posted: 1st February, 2020
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